just because you're lovely swap.


I recently participated in loving Gracie's Just Because You're Lovely Swap, incidentally my first swap ever. Each participant wrote up something about themselves, and their swap mate was to find some gifts that would suit their partner's personality, accordingly.

I was partnered with another mate in the southern hemisphere, Sharni at The Pieces, who loves to make lists + travel, with a special emphasis on exotic food items from afar. It was perfect timing, since we were traveling to Uruguay. I picked up some cuteness along the way, including an artsy magnet and hot sauce with Amazonian fruit. From Chile, I sent her some of those famed alfajores (that are actually from Argentina), a magnetic pad for fridge list making, and one of the prettiest scarves I've ever seen here. I really just want to keep sending these scarves to people, because I love them so much. Maybe one of these days I'll buy one for myself too. But as you can imagine, living here, I already have SO many scarves!


In a sad state of affairs, Australian customs opened the package I wrapped to remove the card inside (which was one of my most favorite cards that I've ever created), because it contained a feather (from a cat toy or something else silly like that). But Sharni says the customs folks were kind enough to photocopy the front back and guts of the card, so that was sweet. Here's the front (nearly lost) photo of said card. 

 
From Australia I received some event postcards, a metrocard, earrings and necklace, some glow in the dark stars that will come in handy some day for our boy's room, and a couple of chocolates--all encased in pretty packaging.


Thanks Sharni! And thanks to our beautiful host, Gracie!

friday present: awarded

Yesterday, the spunky and dear hearted Kelli at { bug miscellany } graced my little blog with this award. If you're not already familiar with the bug, go check her out!


This girl stole my heart with her sparkling humor, love of flannels, and her current sprinkle obsession. To receive the award, I'm supposed to mention some things that I love. So I figured it's perfect for my Friday thankfulness series.

Loving cinnamon rolls,

{from my first go around baking these bad boys}
I slightly modify this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and like to make the glaze with a light citrus zest. As I write this and wait for the dough to rise, I'm wearing my happy purple apron.

the return of friends--

{photo by Silvia GialinĂ }
My baking plan for this weekend revolved around cheesecake. Not only because I'm obsessed, but because my husband's been requesting it for a few weeks now. But when my dear friends arrived--oh so tan and smiley--from the States, the first thing I heard was that I just had to make cinnamon rolls. What can I say, I'm happy to oblige eat the profits.

+ speaking of aprons--

{gold glitter flower apron}
Somewhere along the line, I discovered that I really do love a good apron. I have my eye on this one right now, but there are so many sassy aprons out there. Dia de los Muertos, anyone? I might have to expand on this mini obsession later.

and because i love to be awed...

{alive but dead by peter callesen}
Y'all have spread so much art love this week, I just have to share. Ren of Lady of the Arts posted about one-paper art by Peter Callesen. His exhibit Out of Nothing is currently showing in Sweden. Then Poppies and Sunshine posted some amazing photos of dollar bills origami'd by Won Park. And then these incredible leaf carvings from Hey, Lady Grey. Upon seeing these pretty leaves, pun-happy hubby said, I don't be-leave it.

+ loving you!

{love in mosaic by marie-ll}
Because you sweeten my life, this award really is for you, dear readers. All of you. Please accept this Happy 101 Award and play along by thanking the person who passed it onto you, writing about some of your loves and then passing it on to your fellow bloggers.


I'm going to list a few blogs here, too, aside from the ones listed above in the love for art part--for your weekend hopping fun.


What do you love today?

who doesn't like flowers?

Here's a flower, yet unplucked, freshly for you.
{pinkness by wallace santiago}
May your days filled with flowers or pretty autumn leaves, shots of sunshine or the calm of snow (when your warm inside marveling at its silence).

Funny aside about our fresh cut flower situation: They're difficult to find here. Our local market has a little section for flowers in long slender buckets. And they fill them with crispy, fake flowers--the color of urine in various stages of dehydration. Sorry, that may be too much information. They are in the fresh fruit + veg section, right next to the stoney tomatoes, and they always make me laugh or at least crack a smile or let out a little groan.

What do you think about (fake) flowers?

a little bit of everything.

{view from dorotea : by me}
The sun is shining in Puerto Natales, and has been (mostly) for a few days. Yesterday I went out in only  a sweater. Cold when the wind picked up, but I warmed myself walking. Over the weekend we hiked in similar sunshine around Cerro Dorotea, about 10 minutes driving from Puerto Natales. If the weather was like this all the time (at least for one straight season), it would make living here so much more agreeable.

{lunar hiking + martian wall calligraphy : by serkan yalin}
But there are other beautiful things. (Because it's better not to focus on what might drive one nuts.) Like the kindness of so many friends. We have already received lots of baby clothes, the second big installment came yesterday over hot chocolate and sweet chat. Another friend even gave me one of her son's hand-knitted sweaters, despite my protestations (amid gratitude). She swore that he had lots of handmade clothes and more waiting for him in Australia, where she's from originally.

We have been getting our paperwork together for S's visa interview in Santiago. This round of papers was so much easier than round one! We should pretty much finish everything today. Then off to the capital to again for doc appointments, errands, this interview, some shopping and good food.

This has been a long, difficult winter for me (I won't lie), and I welcome the coming phases, wherever they take us. For now I'm enjoying the transition into spring. Waking up from that dark hibernation that was only sometimes restful. More and more friends are returning from their winter travels into summer. The shops, all closed up for the past several months, open their doors. Trekkers shoulder their backpacks, folding and refolding their maps and dogeared travel books, looking for a place to stay or drink coffee + beer. The influx of life comforts me.

Have you ever lived in a place that closes down for certain seasons? What would you do during your hibernation?

paper cranes + words take flight.

I've fallen in love with Sandy's mission. To fold 1000 paper cranes, with 1000 different positive words, to be released in 1000 different places.

{adore from sandy and the 1000 paper cranes}
Read more about her inspiration here. She's documents the release of each crane, and writes a little about what its accompanying word means to her.

What word would you write on your crane?

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